San Diego Padres - TeamReport

SAN DIEGO -- Clearly, the Padres are out of the playoff race that they believed they would be a part of when the season opened.

And it's not hard to pinpoint the reason. The Padres offense is pathetic. Actually, it's almost non-existent.

Given even a below-average offense, the Padres might be close to .500 given the performance of their pitching. But the Padres offense is so bad that it could get everyone fired by the end of the season.

General manager Josh Byrnes has already been fired. And the next general manager -- the Padres have already interviewed eight candidates -- might decide to clean house as he takes the Padres in a direction that might include an offense.

The Padres finished the 2013 season with a team batting average of .245 while averaging 3.8 runs a game. The Padres reached the All-Star break hitting a collective .214 and averaging 2.9 runs a game.

Yet they have the same 41-54 record that they had after 95 games last season.

Which makes you wonder where they might be if the Padres had hit anywhere close to their 2013 averages.

"We are not where we expected to be," Padres CEO Mike Dee said while announcing the decision to relieve Byrnes as general manager in June. "We have to take an overall look at where we are and what we need to do to get to where we want to be."

Dee said he is looking for a general manager who will direct the Padres for a number of seasons.

"The next general manager of the Padres will be on the same page as the ownership," said Dee.

But the Padres don't expect to have their next general manager in place by the trading deadline, which raises the question of how active the Padres will be at the deadline. Until the new general manager is on board, the Padres are being run by assistant general managers A.J. Hinch, Stein and Fred Uhlmann Jr.

The Padres have a history of finishing strong under manager Bud Black.

However, given the amount of uncertainty in the organization at the moment combined with what may -- or may not -- happen at the trading deadline, it's hard to expect the Padres to finish as strong as they have in the past.

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MLB Team Report - San Diego Padres - NOTES, QUOTES

RECORD: 41-54

STREAK: Lost two

FIRST-HALF MVP: There is a reason why 6-foot-5 RHP Tyson Ross was the Padres' All-Star selection. He has allowed one or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 20 starts and two or fewer earned runs in 14 starts. But the Padres have scored two or fewer runs (including zero four times) in 11 of his starts. That explains the 7-10 record despite a 2.85 earned-run average. And he's getting better. Ross has a 1.75 ERA over his last five starts -- and a 1-4 record.

FIRST-HALF-GRADE: D -- Padres pitchers have compiled the second-lowest staff earned-run average in the National League at 3.20. But the offense has been beyond pathetic, worse than an F. The Padres are last in the National League in team batting average (.214), on-base percentage (.274), slugging percentage (.336) and OPS (.610) -- and it's not close. The Padres are averaging 2.9 runs a game. The Padres have been shut out 14 times. And their batting average with runners in scoring position is last.

PIVOTAL POST-BREAK PLAYER: With RHP Joaquin Benoit waiting in the wings, right-handed closer Huston Street is almost a sure thing to be traded before the deadline. But the Padre who might draw an even bigger return than Street is Ian Kennedy. The 29-year-old right-hander is 7-9 with a 3.47 ERA. But the Padres also control him for another season. The Padres could decide to rebuild around their potent rotation, which might make Kennedy a cornerstone of the rebuild. Remember, the Padres will still be shopping for a general manager as the trading deadline approaches.

BUY OR SELL: The Padres are definitely sellers. They are more than one or two position players away from having any semblance of an offense. But how much pitching will the Padres give up to add offensive prospects? Aside from maybe 3B Chase Headley, who is always stronger after the All-Star break, the Padres have few position players who would interest anyone. OF Seth Smith is having a solid season, but the Padres recently extended his contract and removed him from the immediate market.